The New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) is planning a conference titled, "Skeletal Development and Remodeling in Health, Disease and Aging" to be held from May 18 to March 21, 2005 in New York City. The conference is being organized by Mone Zaidi, MD, PhD, FRCP, Professor of Medicine and Director, Mount Sinai Bone Program, Mount Sinai School of Medicine. It is an ideal time for a conference on this subject, as the past decade has seen an enormous expansion in our understanding of how the skeleton is remodeled and repaired. Using state-of-the-art molecular technologies including Tran genesis, gene knockout, and gene array, scientists are gaining a better understanding of both the precise pathways through which osteoblasts lay down new bone and how osteoclasts remove old bone. These studies have helped clarify basic biological properties of the skeleton, how it responds to hormonal, cytokine and mechanical stimulation, as well as clarified path physiology. The eventual goal of such discoveries is to lay down a firm scientific foundation for the identification of novel cellular and molecular targets for future drug development. The conference will be organized along four themes: Skeletal Development and Repair, Molecular Endocrinology of Bone, Bone Cell Biology and Conservation of Skeletal Integrity, while enabling participants to engage in a highly focused discussion within each category. The final day will specifically focus on current and emerging therapies for osteoporosis. The conference will draw wide spread participation among high powered contributors in bone and cartilage biology research, as well as junior faculty member and senior postdoctoral research fellows working in the field. We also expect the meeting to be attended also by biologists, chemists, and medical doctors whose research and/or patients stand to benefit from the information exchanged at the conference. A local forum, which will provide the non-scientific public an informal opportunity to learn about the latest research and therapies emerging in the field, is also planned.